Letters: Urgent action is needed to drive hellish traffic away

I read with interest your story on the consideration of a temporary re-opening Princes Street for cars as a measure to alleviate the enormous increase in traffic displaced into the residential New Town (News, July 25).

As a resident on Albany Street, which is taking the brunt of this, I am glad other options are being aired.

However, I must correct the statement that the loss of more than 50 per cent of the parking bays on Albany Street will be compensated by a dispensation to use pay-and-display spaces.

In 2009, we were given this dispensation. This was due to the fact that there was (and is) a chronic shortage of residential parking in the Controlled Parking Zone.

The creation of end-on parking took place at this time in order to create much needed additional spaces.

In fairness, the potential future displacement of traffic due to the tram works provided further support for this welcome initiative.

Albany Street is now a hellish environment.

The creation of a “clear way” down largely residential streets like Albany Street is not a suitable response to tram works. The closure of left-turning traffic heading down Dundas Street as part of this diversionary system is only complicating matters.

It is forcing motorists to travel down streets where they would never have done so in the first place. Some common sense, applied urgently, is required.

Terry Levinthal, Albany Street, Edinburgh

Will we boast of trams like coast?

Having recently spent some time in Blackpool I was able to enjoy a few journeys on their new Bombardier tram system.

Trams were running every four or five minutes. There are many and frequent stops along the promenade. Up to three conductors were on board to help the many visitors to the Fylde coast.

Will Edinburgh have as attractive a frequency and convenient tram stops? It doesn’t look likely.

Colin C Maclean, Hillpark Avenue, Edinburgh

Offenders have to give police details

Your article of July 25 claiming that sex offenders in Scotland do not have to inform the police of a change of name is incorrect.

Scotland follows the same process as England and Wales and all registered sex offenders must inform the police of any change in name.

This is enshrined in Scots law under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and any offender failing to do so is breaking the law. As such, they can be punished through the full force of the law.

Our police forces and other criminal justice agencies in Scotland now have tougher powers than ever before to manage these individuals and are working closely together to assess and monitor convicted sex offenders upon release.

A full risk assessment is carried out and a range of measures can be deployed for high- risk offenders such as surveillance, electronic tagging, curfews and prohibitions on where convicted sex offenders can go and who they contact.

We have also implemented a disclosure scheme allowing parents to know if convicted offenders are living in their area. We are also considering the use of possible satellite tracking of sex offenders.

If any convicted sex offender steps out of line, they will be swiftly returned to prison.

Kenny MacAskill, Justice Secretary

The argument for wind loses power

Many people, including myself, who are against wind turbines regularly use the expression “When the lights go out”.

This does not do justice to the appalling conditions and problems that would arise when the wind does not blow and conventional power plants have been shut down.

Alex Salmond wants to shut down all nuclear, gas and coal plants and generate all of Scotland’s needs from renewables by 2020.

I am sure that when Scotland is independent he will not accept tainted electricity from the “enemy”. With this fixation computers will crash with disastrous results.

Hospitals, financial institutions, transport, communications, supermarkets, emails, stock markets and much, much more will be effected.